ARCHIVED - Police call the fire brigade to break into illegal bar party in Jaen, Andalusia
82 illegal party-goers will be fined in Jaén after police forced their way into bar
Police raided the party at a bar on an industrial estate in the Andalusian city after receiving tip-offs from passers-by.
The police have reported 82 people for failing to obey coronavirus restrictions after forcing their way into a bar in Jaén at the weekend. A National Police patrol was sent out to check on the venue, on Los Olivares industrial estate in the provincial capital city, after various people called 091 at almost 7 pm. to report that a large crowd of people were inside, having slipped in through the back door.
Apart from the general nationwide rules for facemasks and social distancing, in Andalusia the current restrictions include a ban on gatherings of more than 4 people who do not live together, closing of bars and restaurants at 6 pm and a ban on selling alcohol after 6 pm. Those inside the bar were disregarding all of these rules, which was probably why they refused to open the door when the police knocked on it.
The fire brigade was called in to force open the metal shutters, after which National and Local Police and Guardia Civil officers entered. Once inside, they found 82 people drinking and partying, with no regards whatsoever for the rules. One woman was found hiding in a cupboard, and a man was found in the space underneath the bar for beer barrels.
Everyone there has been identified and reported for failing to obey the measures put in place by the health authorities to slow the pandemic. The bar owner was also reported for breaking rules regarding opening times. Their details will also be handed over to the health authorities for tracking and tracing in the case of any new infections among the group over the next few days and the denuncias will be passed to the courts for fines to be issued.
The bar owner is likely to receive a fine running into thousands of euros.